Thill-coupling.



No. 687,068 Patented Nov. I9, lsol.

s. P. RODABAUGH & w. B. ALBERTSON.

THILL COUPLING.

(Application filed Apr. 11, 1901.]

(No Model.)

NITE- TATES ATENT FFICE.

SAMUEL P. RODABAUGII AND I/VILLIAM B. ALBERTSON, OF BETIIANY,

. NEBRASKA.

THILL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of I Letters Patent N 0. 687,068, datedNovember 19, 1901.

Application filed April 11, 1901. Serial No. 55,407. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

' Be it known that we, SAMUEL P. RODA- BAUGH and WILLIAM B. ALBERTSON,residents of Bethany, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska,have invented certain newand useful Improvements in 'lhill-Couplings, ofwhich the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to thill-couplings for vehicles, and has for itsobject to provide an eifective means of coupling the shafts or pole tothe front axle of a wagon or carriage that is simple in operation andreasonable in cost of manufacture. We attain this object by themechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 isa plan view of a position ofthe axle of a vehicle and of a thillsufficient to illustrate our invention; Fig. 2, a section in elevationof the same parts; Fig. 3, a View in elevation showing the shaft raisedto a position to uncouple it; Fig. 4, a plan view of the part attachedto the axle; Fig. 5, an elevation of the part attached to the shaft.

Similarletters of reference denotelike parts throughout the severalviews.

The axle of the wagon A has attached to it a bracket B by the clip 0.'lhebracket 13 comprises one member of our thill-coupling. The shaft Dhas fixed to it the other member E of our thill-coupling by any suitablemeans.

F represents an orifice in the bracket B, having a slot G, with parallelwalls extending forward to the front of said bracket. The wall f of theorifice F is curved toward the axle A, while the walls f adjacent to theslot G are curved parallel to the wall f. The front faces H of thebracket B are also curved, so that the front and back ends of the slot Gform segments of the same circle, while the wall f of the orifice Fforms a segment of a concentric circle. 7

The part E of the coupling is formed with a bar I in the center thereof,the sides of said bar being parallel and having an enlarged head K onthe end thereof. The faces 6 of the part E adjacent to the bar I arecurved inward, while the faces 70 of thehead K next to the said bar arealso curved inward, the two curved surfaces 6 and It being segments ofthe same circle. The end 70 of the head K is while the head K isslightly smaller than the orifice F, so that when the thill-coupling isI perfected these parts fit each other easily.

L represents ears on the sides of the part E.

The operation is as follows: The shafts being disconnected from theaxle, to couple them raise the shafts to the position shown in Fig. 3,which is nearly perpendicular, so that the'bar I slides into the slot Guntil the faces 6 and H and f and 7c are adjacent to each other. Theshaft is then lowered. The head K enters the orifice F. The two ends ofthebracket bear against the faces 6 of the part E, and the coupling iscomplete. To uncouple, again raise the shafts to the position shown inFig. 3, and the part E and bracket B can be disengaged.

We do not wish to be limited to the exact I construction hereinabovedescribed and disclosed in the drawings, as the same may be alteredsomewhat without departing from the spirit of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is- 1. In athill-coupling, a bracket with a longitudinal slot and an orifice at theend of said slot, the walls of said slot and each wall of said orificebeing parallel to the wall opposite thereto, and a member with a bar andhead on the end thereof, each side of which is parallel to the oppositeside thereof, to fitinto said slot and orifice, substantially as shownand described.

2. In a chill-coupling, a bracket attached to the axle of a vehicle, alongitudinal slot in said bracket having parallel walls, an orifice atthe end of said slot, each of the walls of said orifice being parallelwith the wall 0pposite thereto, a member attached to the shaftscomprising a bar with parallel sides, an enlarged head thereon, theopposite sides of which are parallel, and means for retaining said partsin engagement, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a thill-coupling, a bracket adapted to be attached to the axle ofa vehicle, an orifice therein having perpendicular walls and.

parallel curved walls, said curved walls being segments of concentriccircles, the end of said bracket curved forming a segment of the samecircle of which the nearest wall of the orifice is a segment, a slotconnecting said orifice and the front of said bracket, a part attachedto the shafts adapted to fit into said bracket,substantially as shownand described.

4. In a thill-coupling, a part attached to the shafts having a bar withan enlarged head and parallel walls, the part affixed to the shaftadjacent to the bar being concave, and the part of said enlarged headadjacent to said bar being concave, said concave surfaces formingsegments of the same circle, the outer end of said head being curvedforming a segment of a circle concentric with the other of said curvedparts, and a bracket formed to receivesaid bar and head, substantiallyas shown and described.

5. In a thill-conpling, a bracket adapted to be attached to the axle ofa vehicle, a slot therein having parallel walls, an orifice at the innerend of said slot, perpendicular walls in said orifice, the walls of theorifice adjacent to said slot convex, and opposite thereto concave, theend of the bracket convex, the walls of said orifice and the end of saidbracket being segments of the same and of concentric circles, a memberattached to the shafts having a bar and a head adapted to fit into saidslot and orifice, the surfaces bearing on the curved surfaces of thebracket being curved to fit said curved surfaces, substantially as shownand described.

6. In a chill-coupling, a bracket, thetop and bottom thereof parallel, aslot at right angles to said top and bottom, parallel walls in saidslot, an orifice at the inner extremity of said slot, the walls of saidorifice abutting said slot and opposite thereto curved and parallel, theside walls of said orifice at right angles to the top and bottom, thefront end of the bracket curved and a segment of the same circle ofwhich the nearest wall of said orifice is a segment, a part attached tothe shafts comprising a bar and head of equal height with the bracketaforesaid, each side of said bar parallel to the side opposite thereto,an enlarged head on the end of said bar, the height thereof the same assaid bracket, the surfaces of the part next the shafts and of the headabutting said bar being segments of the same circle and the end of thehead opposite the surfaces abutting the bar parallel to said abuttingsurfaces, the other sides of said head fiat and parallel to the oppositesides thereof, said bar and head shaped to fit the slot and orifice insaid bracket and the curved surface nearest the shafts shaped to fit theend of the bracket, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof we hereto affix our signatures in the presence oftwo witnesses.

SAMUEL P. RODABAUGH. WILLIAM B. ALBERTSON.

Witnesses:

JNo. W. MOGERE, MARY E. MOGERE.

